Jindabyne camping 2013
Mate I have lived on those clark rubber mattresses camping for years now, they just provide an awesome nights sleep, my mates and I swear by them. You can use em at home for guests as well.
I have camped in the snow (really in the white stuff) plenty of times.
I get cold, so I make sure I will be warm and toasty 
I have used few types of setups for sleeping / keeping warm.
1. 100mm ST30/130 Dunlop foam in the back of the ute, 1 doona, 1 Blanket and wearing my thermals and socks.
2. Four seasons tent with a 4x4 mat like Ozzy is talking about. Sleeping bag that is rated to -7 with a polyprop sleeping bag liner, no clothes.
3. Swag with a 50mm MA29/200 foam in it. Same sleeping bag as above. I use a tarp set up as a shelter, direct towards fire (3mtrs away) and sleep awesome. Need to have the swag open a little to prevent over heating. I find it better to dig down to the ground rather than sleeping on top of snow.
4. Back Country - Four seasons tent, bed roll / aka Portable concrete and a bloody awesome sleeping bag -20 or something stupid. Sleep with all my clothes on, still wake up cold. I do have a down filled mat now, but have not used it in anger yet.
If I was doing trips to Jindy to camp car based (or anywhere between the resorts and there) I would grab a small four seasons tent, get a 100mm ST30/130 mat cut to fit tent floor, doona and wear thermals and it would be a sweet set up. I find sleeping in a tent far warmer than a car / ute. It also contains all the moisture you create overnight to the tent and bedding rather than your whole car.
Downfall is you have a tent to pack up / pull down and dry when you get home.
It all comes down to being organised, expecting the crappest weather and hoping for the best. Everyone has different set ups that work for them, I find camping equipment is something that evolves with you as your wants, needs and comforts change.
Im driving down to sydney on probably friday night to pick up this 
Im driving down to sydney on probably friday night to pick up this
Are we drinking????
Dyl, how far from Sydney are you based?
At this stage I’m looking at self inflating sleeping pads (with closed cell foam R-value 7.68) as well as a sleeping bag (the one I’m looking at is mummy style, synthetic rated to 20f (~-7c)
I wouldn’t be to concerned about R values and such. Open and closed cell foam either.
In the marine industry, we use open cell foam so the water runs through the foam, rather than absorb into it. The foams I have quoted are semi closed. True closed cell is more rubber like to touch. Think the stuff thongs are made of in the 80’s or those really cheap bed rolls.
Its code is EVA ______
EVA foams (closed cell) can’t have the air pushed out of them as they are solid state.
Most of the camp mats etc have a cover of some sort, which is generally vinyl, so it stops water getting in or coming out.
When you roll them up, you are pushing the air out and compacting the foam. If you ever want to get one of those mats really small, use a vacuum cleaner on one of the holes and it will suck down to bugger all.
Thanks for all the info Azz!
Have you ever slept on one of the 4-5cm self inflating pads?
At this stage I’m now strongly leaning towards something closer to 10cm probably still self inlfating so I can roll it up and store easier than a full on mattress.
Im driving down to sydney on probably friday night to pick up this
Are we drinking????
unfortunately not, ill be driving late friday night to get there early saturday then have to turn straight around and head home
Have you ever slept on one of the 4-5cm self inflating pads?
Not sure if he has but i do know he saw me suffer on my afore mentioned “pad” - even though I had two blankets underneath me for extra padding!
Whilst the entire TambAzz clan, slept blissfully on their 4WD self infalting matts!
This was Aus day weekend.
Then i borrowed one of their 4WD matts when Billy and I camped at Chill Hill in Feb. Billy also owns a 4WD one!
Yeah, we have one that’s about 50mm thick, self inflating job.
OK for one night, but multiple nights I want 100mm under me minimum.
In my camper trailer many moons ago, I had 150mm of the ST30/130 the size of a king size bed, soooooo good.
100mm in good foam is hard to roll up to a manageable size.
The self inflating bit makes me laugh. It’s not really inflating, the foam is just not in a vacuum anymore and returns to its true shape.
Nice! well I’m certainly glad I checked with you lot as the hardened travellers implied it was like floating on a cloud.
10cm it is. Just found this one on anaconda which seems to be the same size as the equivalent BCF oztrail king single mat. Might check one out soon.
http://www.anaconda.com.au/Product/Camp-and-Hike/Sleep/Mats/Single-4WD-Mat
As for the bag, any advice on what kind of temperature rating to look at that I’m not going to freeze or melt in. Is the -7c a good enough point to start with? I’d go the blanket option but I’d need to buy them as well seeing as I don’t have any.
Anything else I should consider purchasing while I’m at it?
P.S hope the hands better oz!
Looks good!
I got the BCF one on sale a couple of weeks ago for only $69.
Check ebay as well there is a central coast shop that does them cheap.
Will check with coop (or her emails to me with a link) tonight.
I was always told a -5 rated bag was enough. So -7 should be good!
If you like sleeping in bags, -7 should be sweet. You can control with clothing. Sleeping bag liners are great to, add that bit extra warmth.
That mat in your link looks great!!!!
Its funny how they call them 4x4 mats…... you can take them in a 2wd car as well. 
Dave u sleeping in the car or camping, sorry didn’t read all thread ???